The Daily Feather — A “Damn Fine” Jobs Report?

The S&P was poised to crack 400. Gasoline was $1.15 per gallon. And Panamanian Dictator Manuel Noriega had surrendered to U.S. authorities. And yet, the only thing on Americans’ minds in 1990 was, “Who killed Laura Palmer?” Small screen phenom Twin Peaks had premiered on ABC and followed FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper’s pursuit to solve the murder of the titular town’s homecoming queen. Equal parts soap opera, police procedural, and psychological horror, the show was groundbreaking for its unique tone, quirky characters, and cinematic feel. Showrunner David Lynch never wanted to reveal Laura’s killer, preferring to leave mystery hanging in the misty air of the show’s Pacific Northwest setting. At the behest of ABC executives, including future Disney CEO Bob Iger, the killer’s identity was revealed mid-way through the second season. As we at QI can attest, the plot goes off the rails afterwards. Lynch briefly exited due to creative differences. Though he returned to try and salvage the last few episodes, ABC ultimately pulled the plug in 1991. Fans of the cult classic would have to wait 26 years before a revival aired on Showtime in 2017.

In its pilot episode, Agent Cooper describes Twin Peaks as a town “where a yellow light still means slow down, not speed up.” Friday’s jobs report had plenty of yellow lights flashing a slowdown, despite delusional headlines describing it as “solid,” “rebounding,” and “better than expected.”